lxxxii
2.7.08
published on 11/09/06
Letters to the Editor | VSA president’s portrayal of Fergusson’s tenure inaccurate
On October 29, President Catharine Bond Hill was inaugurated as the 10th president in Vassar’s history. This is not news to anyone. However, sitting in the audience at the inauguration, I was disturbed and somewhat flabbergasted by the remarks made by the current Vassar Student Association President Abel McDonnell ’07.
McDonnell’s remarks seemed to indicate that President Bond Hill was inheriting an institution in ruins. His intimation, possibly unintentional, seemed to convey that Vassar needed a change of direction. Perhaps McDonnell should look at what President Frances Fergusson did during her 20-year tenure. I know from my own experience that President Fergusson was committed to the arts, as well as building a diverse student population. President Fergusson worked closely with students on a long list of concerns over the years. I had the distinct pleasure of working with her directly in 1995 and 1996 when the Vassar Bayit House was established. She was known for having an open office door policy, as well as for answering all e-mails sent to her. She oversaw the creation of new departments and academic programs. President Fergusson should simply be credited with creating the Vassar that we know and experience today. As Diana Walsh, the President of Wellesley mentioned, Vassar held the fundraising record, set during the Campaign for Vassar lead by President Fergusson, which was just broken this past year.
I am not alone in my reaction to McDonnell’s speech. In the immediate aftermath, alumnae/i and some faculty commented on how inappropriate and unfortunate his comments seemed. I am under the impression that he was perhaps caught up in the enthusiasm that a new arrival with the credentials of President Bond Hill brings to Vassar. I think his audience would have found it preferable if McDonnell’s comments had cited President Fergusson’s many accomplishments as the building blocks for the great expectations of a future Vassar under the very capable stewardship of President Bond Hill.
—Jason Bartow ’98
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Alumnae/i posters are strongly encouraged to include their class year with their name. The maximum length for comments is approximately 100 words; longer responses should be submitted as letters to the editor to misc@vassar.edu. More information about our letters policy can be found on our Policies page.
